For trauma x-ray application, technicians usually have to bring a detector and an X-ray tube near a patient lying on a trauma trolley in an environment with a lot of people around. A patient may be wired to medical equipment that may disturb a proper X-ray examination. Therefore, trauma X-ray applications are sophisticated.
Usually, for an X-ray examination in this environment, there are two general different workflows existing, depending on the size, shape and position of the object to be examined. In a first workflow, the X-ray tube is adjusted to the region of interest in that it is positioned to align with the outer/inner dimensions of the relevant anatomy of the patient. The detector has to be aligned according to the position of the X-ray tube in a certain predetermined “source image distance” (SID) and with the detector center aligning with a central spot of the X-rays. Therefore, the X-ray tube comprises a “master function”. In a second workflow, the X-ray tube freely emits X-rays limited by a collimator to the region of interest. A portable X-ray detector is positioned relative to the region of interest. Therefore, the detector has a “master function”.
For the first workflow type, the detector and the x-ray tube are mechanically linked. The detector is positioned on a mechanical arm connected to the X-ray tube. Whenever the X-ray tube is moved relative to the patient the detector follows in a predetermined distance and a fixed spatial relationship.
For the second workflow, a mechanical arm may be folded aside, thus removing the detector from its spatially fixed relationship and to use the X-ray tube for free exposures.